


a trip down memory lane

by Pillow_Bee



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 21:11:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4802339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pillow_Bee/pseuds/Pillow_Bee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bond wants to forget. Q doesn't let him -- but not out of spite.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a trip down memory lane

Q was quiet for a second too long, and Bond could see the hesitation in his eyes.

“Bond,” Q said, sinking into his chair slowly, “I can’t.”

Right. Bond was prepared for this. He opened his mouth to say so, but Q held up his hand.

“Please listen, 007.”

So Bond politely shut up and waited. He waited and watched as Q steepled his fingers together – Bond knew that whatever the younger man was planning to say, he was putting a lot of thought behind it.

“Have a seat.”

Bond considered declining this offer, but if he was to get on Q’s good side…

With a sigh, Bond pulled out one of the chairs at Q’s desk and sat down. “I’m all ears,” he said, because he was beginning to think that Q was stalling.

Just as this particular thought went through his mind, Q’s sharp, intelligent eyes met his and for a moment Bond actually thought the other man had heard him.

“What you are asking for isn’t easy.”

“Well, you’re the Quartermaster, aren’t you?” Bond said lightly, making sure to tilt his head to the side and smirk a little – because he knew that Q liked a good challenge.

“It’s not the question of whether or not I can do it, Bond,” Q said, and he looked exasperated. “Of _course_ I can do it. But what you’re asking for involves a lot of protocols with – well – _protocols_. You understand that to do this, I will need clearance from psych, from medical, not to mention from M—”

Bond held up his hand, and Q stuttered into a stop. “Q. _You_ understand that when I came to you, I was hoping that you’d keep this between us.”

Q waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, yes, what do you take me for? But Bond – listen to me. I know how the minds of Double-Ohs work—”

Bond just _had_ to chuckle at that, because, “Literally.”

Q glared at him. “I know how you lot think,” he carried on. “And don’t think you’re the first to request this, 007. Boothroyd’s told me all about the previous 001 and what happened to her when M denied her request.”

“Look, Q…all I’m asking is to erase certain parts.”

The younger man bit his lips, and was quiet for a moment or two. “Bond, I…can’t. Not without discussing it with psych.”

“I see.” If Q wasn’t willing to help him, then it really left him no choice.

Bond made sure to keep his face blank, but somehow Q managed to see right through him.

“If you’re thinking about erasing your memory chip on your own, James Bond, _think again_ ,” Q all but hissed to him. “Only a very select few know how to properly handle that chip – one wrong move can have dire consequences. Nothing happens from now on without me knowing. The moment you set foot out of my office, I will know every single—”

“Well, it’s nice to know you’re not abusing your position as my Quartermaster at all, Q,” Bond said, standing up and heading for the door.

“I will know every single move you make, 007,” Q continued. “This isn’t me abusing my power, this is me looking after my agents. I have legitimate reasons to track you via our memory chip now, and you know it.”

Bond opened the door, and the urgency in Q’s voice climbed up a notch.

“Bond, just – if you’re serious about this…consider going for the psych eval—”

“Ha!”

“—because I really, _really_ cannot help nor do anything for you unless you go through the proper procedure!”

He and Bond were standing at the opposite ends of the room now – Bond by the door and Q behind his desk. When Bond decided to approach Q about this, he didn’t think the man would be so worked up. He had expected Q to either flat out deny his request or shrug his shoulders and say ‘why not?’ before erasing Bond’s memory chip and be done with it.

He didn’t think Q would be so worried.

“Thank you for your time, Q.”

He left as the Quartermaster opened his mouth to probably warn him against doing something crazy.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo hey!
> 
> I actually got the idea for this, like, in the middle of the night. I was sleeping and I remember just thinking, "what if double-oh agents are like memory sticks/usb drives and can record every mission through their brains like what if they have memory chips and then bond just couldn't take it and asks Q to erase some or all parts of the skyfall event or even the spectre events because he trusts Q but Q's hands are tied because there are protocols because you can't just play around with people's memory chips, like, one wrong move and the guy can lose his mind like _literally_ , so he denies bond's request and is it 3 AM is this really happening am i dreaming??"
> 
> But I distinctly remember this NOT being a dream, like I was awake and it just came to me?? Weird.
> 
> So I had to write it down. I saw this scene while taking a bath, so here it is.
> 
>  **Basically it's like this:** all Double-Oh agents have memory chips installed in their brains so that when they return from a mission, the higher-ups can rewatch and evaluate their mission thoroughly. They have to sign a consent form to have the chip installed, because it's their right and it's their memory, after all. And of course, Q-branch is the one in charge of installing the chips, as well as retrieving and even erasing the data from the memory chip. And erasing the memory chip involves a lot of procedures and protocols, which Bond just simply refuses to go through because doing so would mean he is weak (or so he thinks). So he goes to Q for help, but Q is reluctant to erase the memory chip. I don't think of them as being in a relationship just yet, but Q clearly has feelings for Bond, while Bond trusts Q immensely and perhaps is even slowly falling for Q -- he just doesn't realise it yet.
> 
> I _might_ write more/continue this, but that's a very, VERY small "might."
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments plz? :D


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